Worries about loose skin after drastic weight loss?

MiawMiawMiaw

I am currently around 231 lbs and my goal weight is 146 lbs, giving me a weight loss of 85 lbs.

I wanted to ask people who have lost this amount of weight: Did you end up with problems regarding loose skin and saggy boobs? And is there any way to avoid this from happening?

I'm currently 24 and will probably be 26 by the time I reach my goal weight.

Thanks in advanced for any answer

wannabesexymama

according to the weight loss doctor I talk to I am young enough that if I do tone training and keep my skin slathered in Vitamin E lotion then It shouldnt leave stretchmarks to bad and My skin should snap back. He said its kinda like a rubber band and the longer its stretched out the less likely it is to some back to size. I have not lost all of mine but so far I don't have a whole lot of loose skin because I have been doing a lot of Core training to keep firm while I loose hope this helps maybe someone has actual experience with this!

morticiamom

If you lose the weight slowly, as you've planned, you're less likely to have problems, though your breasts may always need a little extra support. I lost about 79 pounds after my first child was born, and didn't have many problems. You're young, so your skin will recover a good deal. Staying hydrated, and keeping your skin moisturized will give it the best chance for recovery.

greenmonstergirl

I lost 100 pounds in 9 months back when I was 28 and you would have never known I was 235 pounds at one time. Work out, drink lots of water and you shouldn't have any problems.

I will say this, unfortunately I gained it back, lost it doing atkins with NO working out and I look like a deflated balloon, saggy!

Gained it back and I'm on my 3rd time around, working out even more than I did when I was 28, hoping that it won't be saggy but I am 44 now and well, we will see. I have a feeling it's going to be a little saggy.

Good luck! Once you do all this hard work, all I can say is don't gain it back like I did. It's not worth the year or more of effort you are putting into this for a freaking doughnut or blizzard or whatever crap food you end up craving.

RockingThis

Hey OP We are some what the same and I'm glad i saw your post because iw as wondreing the same.
I am 24 and stated at 245 i am 5'6ish in height too. ^.^

SRECNAZVEZDA

Lose weight slowly, drink a lot of water, work out, take care of your skin moisturizing it and take some supplements.


Good luck.

dellaquilaa

My old personal trainer used to tell me not to worry about it - It's better to get the weight off and have some saggage than to keep all those risk factors. He did say that most of the time the severe sagging happens because the weight is lost too quickly for the skin to handle. He also said that the sagging can be attributed to muscle that's lost during weight loss - because you normally lose a bit of muscle along with the fat. He described the muscle as a bonding agent that keeps the skin attached to the body - so the more you have, the less the skin will hang. The less actual fat you have, the less space between your skin and your muscles.

I'd check your body fat & muscle mass percentages regularly and make sure that you're on track

x3samanthasue

He described the muscle as a bonding agent that keeps the skin attached to the body - so the more you have, the less the skin will hang. The less actual fat you have, the less space between your skin and your muscles.

This is what I heard on an HBO documentary, too! I'm glad to see someone else post this because in all the posts I've read on here about the importance of building muscle to prevent loose skin, it's never been explained that way.

JondaC

I have worried about this so much in the past that I let it keep me form losing weight.
But now, the way I think about it is:

I hate the way I look naked and the way that I look in clothes now.
After I lose the weight, I may still hate the way I look naked, but at least I will like the way I look in clothes.

TheFitHooker

There is a lot that has to do with loose skin, age, how much of a loss you have, genetic genes, how quickly you lose it.

I've lost 130 lbs, I took it slow, I wasn't steady at it though. I could have probably lost the full 130 lbs in a year but 70 of those pounds were lost in pregnancy, 25.5 lbs I gained after having her. But I've lost it all over the course of nearly 2 years. The only loose skin I have is the pregnancy mommy pooch. That pouch at the bottom that a lot of women have a tummy tuck to remove, yeah that. I don't want surgery so I am trying hard to get rid of it, I know I can get rid of it, it's all starting to tighten up a little at a time it's taken a long time but it's getting there.

BellaT81

Hi there,

I've lost 75lbs over the past year. I am 31, 5'6 and started at 263lbs. I do a reasonable amount of exercise and drink plenty. So far, no saggy skin (although the stretchmarks are there, but they are more down to pregnancy and yo-yo-ing as a teenager). I want to lose another 30-ish lbs, but hoping everything will stay roughly where it is if I keep it steady and continue toning up...

Hope this helps,
Bella

EmilyEmpowered

I think it depends on a lot of factors. Genetics, age, etc...

For me personally, I do have saggy skin in certain places- under my arms by my armpits, my upper thighs, my lower belly (although I have fat there to lose too, before I can really tell how much is skin.) Generally all the places my stretchmarks are the worst, I am having trouble tightening. (my stomach is the worst, I have some stretch marks that are an inch wide above my pelvis, and the ones on my belly go all the way around my love handles evenly spaced one finger width apart.) However, strength training is definitely helping and although the skin still has that wrinkly look, my inner thighs and under my arms are firming up and not quite as saggy (I have built those muscles up more so I guess they are filling the skin in now?) Also, my lower belly is getting better day by day and I am losing the fat there, too. So I got to my goal weight over a year ago, and have still been unhappy due to the way these body parts look, now I am wishing I had done the strength training earlier-- but better late than never! (I lost the weight over approximately year and a half time frame.

Sqeekyjojo

It's possible you'll snap back, it's equally possible that you won't.


Either way, it's better to have loose skin than fat, as loose skin isn't going to reduce your lifespan and activities/quality of life in the same way.


Personally, I've got some bits that got a bit loose and are already firming up, and some that I suspect will always be with me.

Whatever. It's not I didn't do it to myself, so I try to think of it in the same way as the scar on my leg gained from falling through glass, or the wonky broken finger that wasn't set properly, or the scar on my hand from rockclimbing on a cliff overhanging the sea with waves crashing over me. Or the thick stretchmarks on my side from my first child. It's part of my life story.

dangerousdumpling

Losing the weight slowly and lifting weights will help but we just never know until we actually lose the weight. I've been as high as 215 and I'm 172 now. My tummy is still a little iffy because of stretch marks. Definitely no reason to stop working on losing weight and getting fit, though. My husband has no complaints about how things are changing. He has nothing but compliments for me.

NovemberJune

I believe it comes down to genetics and there's really nothing you can do to help the situation. That being said, my loose skin isn't bad at all. Barely noticeable on my arms, a little more on my legs but I don't think anyone else would ever notice it, on my stomach, the skin hangs down a bit when I am in plank position but not when I'm standing. I think there's a good chance you have nothing to worry about. Good luck!

amandabcdefg

i started at a recorded 223.. i must have been more because i bought a scale about two weeks after beginning to workout, so i never got my first initial weight.. but i am about 138 right now. i have SOME lose skin on my inner thighs and belly.. more so my belly is what bothers me.. its not as bad if im not holding my core in, THATS what i notice it and hate it so much.. but if i relax my belly, the skin is fine.. if i suck in, all lower belly around my belly button, i look like i've had a baby.. and i havent. my moms carried two babies and my belly looks like hers when i hold it in. i havent had a baby, but ive had 85 extra lbs, so its bound to happen i guess? but im hoping as i begin to lift heavier weights, the muscle under the skin will help fill it out

derekj222

All of the above advice is great! I'm a little worried too, I have lost over 80lbs and want to lose about 100. I'm seeing what seems to be a little lose skin in my stomach but hoping my young age and resistance training will help this along over TIME! Time is key. No quick fix except for surgery. But remember, you will be creating a great new, healthier you. You may not look amazing with your shirt off in the end, I may not, but you'll add years to your life and still looking amazing 99% of the time. Sounds harsh, I know. But I've learned to except reality and not fuss over it.

ksuetorres

The old lady speaks. . . .I've lost 58 pounds,and since I'm 63 I ended up with saggybaggy skin. I have to wear sleeves to cover my upper arms, my thighs are pretty wrinkled, my stomach is wrinkled and my boobs -- well, never mind. I'm lifting heavy things to try to firm back up but at my age it may not happen. I figure I'm healthier anyway. My darling husband thinks I'm the sexiest thing ever! (He doesn't see what I see.)

musenchild

I

It's possible you'll snap back, it's equally possible that you won't.


Either way, it's better to have loose skin than fat, as loose skin isn't going to reduce your lifespan and activities/quality of life in the same way.


Personally, I've got some bits that got a bit loose and are already firming up, and some that I suspect will always be with me.

Whatever. It's not I didn't do it to myself, so I try to think of it in the same way as the scar on my leg gained from falling through glass, or the wonky broken finger that wasn't set properly, or the scar on my hand from rockclimbing on a cliff overhanging the sea with waves crashing over me. Or the thick stretchmarks on my side from my first child. It's part of my life story.

I like you.

My stretch marks are not from having children or from gaining weight quickly, unless you count puberty. They showed up at puberty and I figure I'll have them the rest of my life. I kind of like them because I like my big hips and thighs. That said, after losing weight, my boobs are saggier than I'd like them - but I would never go back! SO still likes them and they still look good with a good push-up bra ;-)

Sqeekyjojo

I

It's possible you'll snap back, it's equally possible that you won't.


Either way, it's better to have loose skin than fat, as loose skin isn't going to reduce your lifespan and activities/quality of life in the same way.


Personally, I've got some bits that got a bit loose and are already firming up, and some that I suspect will always be with me.

Whatever. It's not I didn't do it to myself, so I try to think of it in the same way as the scar on my leg gained from falling through glass, or the wonky broken finger that wasn't set properly, or the scar on my hand from rockclimbing on a cliff overhanging the sea with waves crashing over me. Or the thick stretchmarks on my side from my first child. It's part of my life story.

I like you.

My stretch marks are not from having children or from gaining weight quickly, unless you count puberty. They showed up at puberty and I figure I'll have them the rest of my life. I kind of like them because I like my big hips and thighs. That said, after losing weight, my boobs are saggier than I'd like them - but I would never go back! SO still likes them and they still look good with a good push-up bra ;-)

:blushing: :bigsmile: :flowerforyou:

Thank you!